The Italian-American actress and director Isabella Rossellini will be the President of the Jury for the 61st Berlin International Film Festival (February 10-20, 2011)."It’s fantastic that Isabella Rossellini will be the President of the Berlinale Jury in 2011," says the festival's director Dieter Kosslick. "She is a multifaceted, creative film artist with extensive experience in European, American and international cinema."Isabella Rossellini is one of the most renowned actresses in internatio...
The European Film Academy's People's Choice Award allows film fans across the continent to elect their favourite European film. As part of the European Film Awards, the People's Choice Award sheds a special spotlight on the people films are made for - the audience.Winners of the past include Pedro Almodóvar's VOLVER, Roberto Benigni's LA VITA E BELLA, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's AMÉLIE, Peter Cattaneo's THE FULL MONTY, and Fatih Akin’s HEAD-ON.The public vote for the People's Choice Award starts on...
Adding to two previously announced retrospectives the Torino Film Festival, which will be directed for the second consecutive year by Nanni Moretti, announced it will be featuring a third retrospective to be dedicated to the English cinema movement of the 1980s - the so-called “British Renaissance”. The two previously announced retrospectives are to be centred on two internationally acclaimed cinematic auteurs’ – Oscar® winner Roman Polanski and Jean-Pierre Melville, “the most America...
Friday, February 22--------European films and talents are poised for Oscar wins, when the golden statuettes are handed out at the Kodak Theater this coming Sunday in Los Angeles. For the past three months, there has been a lingering cloud of doubt about whether the ceremony was going to happen at all. A strike by the Writers Guild of America, that effectively shut down film and television production and forced the cancellation of the Golden Globe Awards, was only recently settled, in part beca...
SYNOPSIS:In the English summer of 1935, 13-year-old fledgling writer Briony Tallis (Saoirse Ronan), irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister Cecilia's (Keira Knightley) lover, Robbie (James McAvoy), a servant's son, of a crime he did not commit. The trauma follows them through World War II. Review by Andrew L. Urban:Ian McEwan's Booker-listed novel provides the kind of high value romantic drama as did The English Patient (which won the Booker). This comes...
Tuesday, October 8--------Launching a major international film festival in less than six months time is, among other things, a major crap shoot (can one get the films, the celebrtities and the industry movers and shakers on board?). When the announcements began coming out on the inaugural Middle East International Film Festival, there were skeptics in the roving band of film festival circuit wanderers who openly questioned whether an event of magnitude could be pulled off in such a short peri...
The Middle East International Film Festival – Abu Dhabi (MEIFF) is thrilled to announce their Special Presentations including the Opening Night Film. MEIFF will kick off its impressive first annual event on Sunday, October 14th with Joe Wright’s ATONEMENT starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. Veteran choreographer Otis Sallid will direct the Opening Night and Closing Night Galas’ dance numbers. His Excellency Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, Director General of Abu Dhabi Authority ...
The Middle East International Film Festival – Abu Dhabi (MEIFF) is thrilled to announce their Special Presentations including the Opening Night Film. MEIFF will kick off its impressive first annual event on Sunday, October 14th with Joe Wright’s ATONEMENT starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. Veteran choreographer Otis Sallid will direct the Opening Night and Closing Night Galas’ dance numbers. His Excellency Mohamed Khalaf Al-Mazrouei, Director General of Abu Dhabi Authority for...
Tuesday, September 4---------The Toronto International Film Festival doesn't officially open for another 48 hours, but already a hurricane of film talents, industryites, press and film buffs are descending onto the Ontario metropolis with a torrent that is almost audible. Coming in from Los Angeles, New York and the four corners of the globe, including the just concluded Montreal World Film Festival, and the still continuing Venice Film Festival......all eyes are on "the gateway to North...
The Toronto International Film Festival doesn't officially open for another 48 hours, but already a hurricane of film talents, industryites, press and film buffs are descending onto the Ontario metropolis with a torrent that is almost audible. Coming in from Los Angeles, New York and the four corners of the globe, including the just concluded Montreal World Film Festival, and the still continuing Venice Film Festival......all eyes are on "the gateway to North America" as the frenzy, fun and fero...
The Toronto International Film Festival announced the addition of eight titles to screen as Special Presentations during this year's Festival, running September 6 - 15, 2007. These films join 17 titles as previously announced Special Presentations to date, and offer the latest achievements from an array of veteran filmmakers, directors on the rise, and celebrated actors working behind the camera. Titles announced today feature some of cinema's most well-known talent, including performances by Br...
Down From the MountainA writer braves treacherous weather, high altitudes, and long lines to reach that mother lode of cinema, Telluride.by Tim AppeloThe Telluride Film Festival was a place of peril this year. The 2,500 or so film pilgrims braved blistering sun, biblical rain, a freak snowstorm that frosted the peaks ridiculously prettily, a Dumpster-diving bear that roamed the streets by night, and a crazed fan resembling Santa Claus who kicked things and abused ticket takers until he was final...
It may not be a record, but 120 European films in the Toronto Film Festival certainly represents the largest contingent of any one film community at this very international event. The films are included in every section of the Festival, from the highly commercial Gala Screenings to the obscure Midnight Madness offerings.The Festival is presenting the latest works from such acknowledged film masters as Jean Luc Godard (with Notre Musique, a poetic meditation on modern life and anxiety), Pedro Alm...